Would it be okay to do this in an interview?

[golgiapparatus88]

Hey guys. I have my first allopathic interview tomorrow at NJMS so I'm obviously super excited. I have one of those nice professional looking folders w/ the notepad inside that I have written questions I have for my interview. My question for you guys is, would it be okay to look at my questions and take notes during the interviewer's answer or should I memorize and just nod? I want to seem genuinely interested (because I am) and and I feel that taking notes and having a bunch of thought out questions would look positive. What do you guys think?

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[CloverHoney]

Ahh, personally I would memorize and nod. Writing down their answers may put undue stress on the interviewer and will make the conversation less fluid i.e. the *pause* interviewer has finished *pause* talking but you're still *pause* writing.

Also, add smile and reiterate to memorize and nod Good luck tomorrow!

 

[Cinclus]

I advise that you do not take notes during the interview.

 

[chiapet874]

That's a no-no. You want the interview to go a fluidly as possible. Taking notes would disrupt the flow and possibly make the conversation less relaxed as the person across the table really has no idea what you are writing down.

 

[sector9]

That's a no-no. You want the interview to go a fluidly as possible. Taking notes would disrupt the flow and possibly make the conversation less relaxed as the person across the table really has no idea what you are writing down.

(to play devils advocate for a second) Three of my four interviewers so far have taken notes on me during the interview. It seemed fairly natural to me

 

[chiapet874]

(to play devils advocate for a second) Three of my four interviewers so far have taken notes on me during the interview. It seemed fairly natural to me

Well, it is their job to eventually write an official review of their impression on you. If they need to take notes to remember what to write, I have no problem with that as that is their job.

As an interviewee, you play a different role.

 

[golgiapparatus88]

Thanks everyone! Now that I think about it, the note taking does seem a little over-the-top.

 

[LizzyM]

Having interviewed a few hundred applicants over the years, let me suggest that the folder/notepad might be a bit too much. Could you condense your questions down to a single 3 x 5 card that would fit in a jacket or shirt pocket? Don't take it out until you are asked if you have any questions and only if you don't remember what the questions are.... the act of writing them might help you remember what you wanted to ask.

It would seem very natural to jot down a word or two when the question is being answered and you could do that on your card.

 

[Tin Man]

I just avoided asking questions that weren't interesting enough for me to actually remember the answer.

In other words, I took "the game" of the interview seriously, and actually asked questions I wanted to know the answers to. It's hard to forget questions when those questions are actually important to you, and even harder to forget the answers to those questions. If you're just trying to have questions for the sake of having questions (because it's "polite"), then perhaps you don't know enough about the school to know what you DON'T know.

 

[CodeBlu]

Having interviewed a few hundred applicants over the years, let me suggest that the folder/notepad might be a bit too much. Could you condense your questions down to a single 3 x 5 card that would fit in a jacket or shirt pocket? Don't take it out until you are asked if you have any questions and only if you don't remember what the questions are.... the act of writing them might help you remember what you wanted to ask.

It would seem very natural to jot down a word or two when the question is being answered and you could do that on your card.

This. From the Guru herself.

 

[tiedyeddog]

Just have 2-3 questions memorized. Don't ask five billions questions that could be easily looked up online, either. Asking asinine questions doesn't exactly send the message that you're interested in the school, it just screams you're overly anal.

 

[sirenomelia]

(to play devils advocate for a second) Three of my four interviewers so far have taken notes on me during the interview. It seemed fairly natural to me

They're looking at hundreds of faces that blur together and you have maybe 3-4 people to talk with 1:1. Do you take notes when you talk to your friends or do you listen, make eye contact and respond like a normal person has a conversation? You can jot down notes immed after and use something from the meeting in your thank you letter or email a question at a later date. Your short term memory should be enough to get you through an interview.

 

[pkwraith]

It's quite appropriate and encouraged to take notes during an interview. You can simply do a google search if you doubt it. You'll find that a mountain of support from professionals and the appropriate etiquette versus what you will find in this thread.

Taking notes is a sign of paying attention and a desire for appropriate follow up. If you cannot take notes without breaking the flow of conversation, then true, you should probably not take notes. And it's perfectly fine for those people.

 

[LizzyM]

I think it is reasonable to jot down a word or two rather than trust your memory. For example, if I were to ask if there were any opportunities for research in X, an area that I worked in after college, and the interviewer throws out a name or two, it might be a good idea to write the names rather than try to remember them.

 

[golgiapparatus88]

Once again, thanks! I really like the index card idea. I originally bought the lether folder because I saw applicants in my DO interviews with them and I thought it made me look unprofessional without one.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm a big fan of 3 x 5 cards. If your interviewer has 'em, your interviewer might be me.

I like them in clinical settings too, because they are the right size for a lab coat pocket and if clipped together with a binder clip they are like a notebook but with removable/replacable pages.

 

[golgiapparatus88]

I'm a big fan of 3 x 5 cards. If your interviewer has 'em, your interviewer might be me.

I like them in clinical settings too, because they are the right size for a lab coat pocket and if clipped together with a binder clip they are like a notebook but with removable/replacable pages.

It's hard to tell online..are you actually an interviewer at NJMS?? If you happen to be and if you remember "dlouis," you'll know who I am

 

[Frazier]

It's hard to tell online..are you actually an interviewer at NJMS?? If you happen to be and if you remember "dlouis," you'll know who I am

I don't think that she is... in the past she has tended to imply that she works for a top [20] school.

 

[mrwesticles]

Yeah, I would avoid writing anything down during an interview unless the person gave you the name of a good local restaurant.

You'll look like you are trying to flip the interview around, and people don't like having power pulled away from them.

 

[LizzyM]

Nothing wrong with writing down a phrase or two... the thing you want to avoid is pulling out a long, long list of questions; I once interviewed a practicing attorney who was applying to med school and he wore me out with questions (although he wasn't writing anything down, nor did he have a court reporter with a steno machine... although it felt like it ).

I don't talk about my location but it is top 20.

 

[mauberley]

I'm a big fan of 3 x 5 cards. If your interviewer has 'em, your interviewer might be me.

I like them in clinical settings too, because they are the right size for a lab coat pocket and if clipped together with a binder clip they are like a notebook but with removable/replacable pages.

http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-pda

 

[FullStache]

It's hard to tell online..are you actually an interviewer at NJMS?? If you happen to be and if you remember "dlouis," you'll know who I am

Hmmm, do I smell a faux pas?

As far as the original question, when my interviewers asked if I had any questions, I brought some out that I had written out on my iPad, and my interviewers seemed to respond positively. Both of my interviewers took notes throughout the interview, and one actively encouraged me to feel free to not be "afraid to jot anything down."

Make sure if you do write them down, you don't take time searching through it for the one that you want. You may want to just write down key words that will instantly bring your mind back to the question you wanted to ask.

Good luck in your interviews!

 

[centrigeugle]

Hmmm, do I smell a faux pas?

As far as the original question, when my interviewers asked if I had any questions, I brought some out that I had written out on my iPad, and my interviewers seemed to respond positively. Both of my interviewers took notes throughout the interview, and one actively encouraged me to feel free to not be "afraid to jot anything down."

A, when my interviewers asked if I had any questions, I brought some out that I had written out on my iPad, and my interviewers seemed to respond positively

brought some out that I had written out on my iPad, and my interviewers seemed

on my iPad, and my

my iPad

This is just me, but I would consider anybody who pulled an iPad out during an interview to be an enormous tool. It's much too overt of a status symbol.

 

[mauberley]

This is just me, but I would consider anybody who pulled an iPad out during an interview to be an enormous tool. It's much too overt of a status symbol.

At least in the circles I travel in, tablet devices (iPads, Android tablets, tablet PCs) are close to commodity status.

 

[centrigeugle]

At least in the circles I travel in, tablet devices (iPads, Android tablets, tablet PCs) are close to commodity status.

I can see them being superbly useful in medical school and practice - I think that we'll start seeing a lot more iPads used in hospitals.

In an interview? It's a $600 piece of notebook paper. There's absolutely no reason to bring in a piece of electronic bling when a notecard would do just as well, and far less pretentiously.

Don't get my wrong, iPads are teh secks. But I roll my eyes every time people pull them out for scant reasons other than "oh hey look at my iPad".

Just my uninformed opinion.

 

[mauberley]

I can see them being superbly useful in medical school and practice - I think that we'll start seeing a lot more iPads used in hospitals.

In an interview? It's a $600 piece of notebook paper. There's absolutely no reason to bring in a piece of electronic bling when a notecard would do just as well, and far less pretentiously.

Don't get my wrong, iPads are teh secks. But I roll my eyes every time people pull them out for scant reasons other than "oh hey look at my iPad".

Just my uninformed opinion.

I agree with it being overkill, but I wouldn't jump immediately to labeling the person a tool just because of it. But, hey. Free country.

 

[sector9]

This is just me, but I would consider anybody who pulled an iPad out during an interview to be an enormous tool. It's much too overt of a status symbol.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-MXlyBVFLs[/YOUTUBE]